Foot complications are one of the most serious risks for people living with diabetes. In fact, up to 80% of people with diabetes die within five years of having a foot ulcer or amputation. Evidence shows that an integrated footcare pathway with trained staff in community foot protection services and fast access to specialist teams significantly reduces the risk of amputation.
For people living with diabetes in the Cotswolds, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Cirencester, and Oxford, understanding your foot health and accessing specialist care early is essential.
Key Resources to Improve Footcare
Here are some useful guides, tools, and resources for patients and healthcare providers:
- Guidance on Diabetes and Feet – an essential guide to understanding foot risks and prevention.
- Diabetic Foot Screening Apps – track your foot health and identify risk early.
- Inpatient Foot Check Tool – helps hospital staff identify at-risk patients.
- Ipswich Touch Test – a simple method to increase foot risk assessments.
- Check, Protect, Refer (CPR) for Feet – a community-based tool for early detection.
- E-learning & Videos – FRAME Foot Risk Awareness courses and NHS England footcare videos.
Publications & Evidence
For those who want to explore the evidence and best practices:
- Putting Feet First: Six-Step Guide to Improving Diabetes Footcare – Diabetes UK
- Improving Footcare for People with Diabetes and Saving Money: An Economic Study in England – Insight Health Economics
- Improving Diabetic Footcare: A Guide for Commissioners – College of Podiatry & Public Health England
These resources provide guidance on screening, risk assessment, and effective footcare pathways, helping healthcare teams and patients reduce complications.
How Patients Can Protect Their Feet
- Attend regular diabetes foot checks and report any changes immediately.
- Use tools and apps to monitor foot health and neuropathy.
- Follow advice from trained professionals and seek referrals to specialist footcare teams if needed.
Local Expert Footcare in the Cotswolds
For residents in Cheltenham, Cirencester, Gloucester, Oxford, and the wider Cotswolds, you can access professional, personalised diabetic footcare at Bourton Podiatry. Early diagnosis and management of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and other foot complications can reduce the risk of ulcers and amputations.
📞 Telephone: 01451 824301
Taking action now can protect your feet, your mobility, and your independence.
Courtesy of diabetes.org.uk